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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Is it worth paying for

BetterSleep

65
Value score / 100 Worth paying? Depends It depends

BetterSleep offers effective sleep aids like custom sound mixes and stories, but a recent shift has placed most features behind a paywall, making the free version very limited.

Free + in-app purchases seen up to $399.99 4.7★ lifetime (390,545) since 2009

BetterSleep is a highly-rated app for sleep assistance, with users praising its effectiveness in helping them fall asleep. However, many long-term users are frustrated by a recent change that moved most previously free sounds and features behind a subscription paywall, leading to complaints about its value proposition.

Free vs paid

The free version of BetterSleep is now extremely limited, offering only a handful of basic sounds R2R6. Many users report that custom mixes they created with previously free sounds are now inaccessible without a subscription R11R13. The paid subscription, which can cost around $60 a year R5, unlocks a wide variety of sounds, sleep tales, meditations, and the ability to create custom soundscapes R26R96R105R36. Some users who purchased a 'lifetime' subscription claim it was converted to a yearly model without warning R14.

Value complaints

  • Many long-term users are upset that previously free sounds and features are now behind a paywall, making the app unusable for them without a subscription.R2R3R6R11
  • Some users report being randomly charged or having their 'lifetime' purchases converted to subscriptions without warning.R9R14R22R48
  • The app is considered too expensive by some, especially given the limited free content and the cost of the subscription.R5R12R15R18
  • There are complaints about a lack of new content, specifically sleep tales, despite the subscription cost.R5R194
  • The 7-day free trial is considered too short by some to properly evaluate the app's value.R21R46R76

Where it delivers

  • The app is highly effective at helping users fall asleep quickly and sleep better.R8R25R36R68
  • Users appreciate the ability to layer and customize sounds to create personalized mixes.R26R34R96R105
  • The sleep stories and meditations are highly praised for their quality and effectiveness.R26R36R68R96
  • The app offers good customer service, including quick and gracious refunds.R17
  • Some users have been using the app for many years, indicating long-term satisfaction and effectiveness.R11R16R26R34
  • Features like sleep tracking and breathing exercises are considered helpful.R41R96R199R211
Worth paying if

The paid subscription is worth it if you consistently struggle with sleep and find the app's diverse content, such as sleep stories and custom sound mixes, genuinely effective for you R36R68R105. It may also be worthwhile if you value features like sleep tracking and breathing exercises, and are willing to pay for a comprehensive sleep aid R41R96.

Skip / stay free if

You should skip paying if you are a long-time user who relied on the previously free content, as most of it is now paywalled R2R3R11R13. Also, skip if you are looking for a free white noise app or are unwilling to pay a premium for basic sounds, as alternatives might offer more free options R6.

Evidence note: The evidence is heavily skewed towards negative recent reviews, primarily focusing on the shift to a subscription model and the paywalling of previously free content. Positive reviews often come from long-term users who either purchased the app before the changes or find the paid content highly effective despite the cost.

Frequently asked

Is BetterSleep free to use?
BetterSleep is technically free to download, but most sounds and features are now behind a paywall, with only a very limited selection available for free R2R6.
What happened to the free sounds in BetterSleep?
Many long-time users report that sounds and custom mixes that were previously free are now locked behind a subscription paywall following recent updates R2R3R11R13.
Is the BetterSleep subscription worth the price?
The subscription is considered worth it by some users who find the sleep stories, custom mixes, and other features highly effective for their sleep issues R36R68R105, but many others feel it is too expensive for what is offered, especially after previously free content was paywalled R5R12R18R22.
Does BetterSleep have good customer service?
Yes, at least one user reported phenomenal customer service, receiving quick, gracious, and communicative assistance with a refund R17.
Are there technical issues with the BetterSleep app?
Some users report various technical issues, including the app crashing frequently, freezing, not saving sleep recordings, and problems with the timer or alarm functions R4R47R52R71.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] 1/5 · US Subscription Only now: I’ve had the app for many years, and there used to be a handful of free sounds you could use which I appreciated. Now I log in to find out everything requires you to pay. Not thrilled with this direction.
  2. [R3] 2/5 · US Was great until…: Suddenly have to pay to access what I was using every night for years for free. 😞
  3. [R6] 1/5 · US Paying service: Now you have to pay for basic noises
  4. [R11] 1/5 · US Genuinely why: I have no joke used this app since 2016 every single night. Been here since Relax Melodies. I am an og. So tell me why I open it today to see that literally every single mix I’ve saved since I was I was in middle school are now hidden behind a paywall. I could not be more livid. Stop being greedy. Do better.
  5. [R9] 1/5 · US Was randomly charged $75??: I had originally enjoyed the app and had been made aware of it through advertising on social media. The ads had discussed a 7 day free trial period with no fees. However, I then had $75 charged to my account even though I had cancelled the subscription before the trial period ended and had never made further app purchases. There is no indicators of purchases made in my
  6. [R14] 1/5 · US i used to LOVE this app: i have always had issues with sleep, falling asleep and staying asleep, and this app was amazing! i decided to get the lifetime purchase because i used this app so often and so i had even more options, however that was just a waste. within about a month or two of purchasing, it got switched to either monthly or yearly subscription. there was no warning of the switch. i had
  7. [R22] 1/5 · US Had a subscription, now they want me to pay for another: I had this app and loved it for years. I got a new phone and when I reinstalled it on the new device, they wanted me to pay for it again (and this time at a much higher price!). I was unable to recover what I’d already paid for. By the way, it’s also VERY expensive now. Not worth it.
  8. [R48] 5/5 · US Only made it 5 so yall can see: This app keeps charging me even though I cancelled my subscription
  9. [R5] 2/5 · US Doesn’t update sleep tales: I used to love this app because the sleep tales knock me out and they used to make new ones every few months. It’s been over a year and the last updated tales (over a year old) are still labeled new and nothing has been added. $60 a year is a lot for a large part of their app to stay stagnant. Time to delete and cancel my subscription.
  10. [R12] 1/5 · US To much for nothing: Don’t waste your money on this app
  11. [R15] 3/5 · US Ik it would be a great app: Sigh I need to pay
  12. [R18] 1/5 · US Instanly tries to make you pay for subscription: The subscription will never be worth it, too pricey, and when using the free version it only allows you three sounds, out of 200+
  13. [R194] 4/5 · US More sleep stories please!: Great app but I’m getting tired of the same old stories. Please provide new stories more often!!
  14. [R21] 1/5 · US Meh: No free version, only a 7 day trial.
  15. [R46] 1/5 · US No trial without $$, hard pass: I am not giving them a subscription authorization regardless of their “free seven day trial“. If it’s really that good, you don’t have to worry I’ll subscribe.
  16. [R76] 4/5 · US Great App, but need more time to explore it.: I needed much more than a 7-day free trial to discover how to use this app, or even get familiar with it due to its steep learning curve. Thanks for allowing me 7 days free. If I had had more time, I would read a five I’m sure!
  17. [R8] 5/5 · US Great Sleep App: I love this app and it really helps me fall asleep quickly. Please, for the love of all things holy, please put a search bar in the app so I can search for the sleeptale I want to listen to and get to sleeping. Thanks.
  18. [R25] 5/5 · US User’s satisfied: This App give many advantages for mind … thanks and God Bless You …
  19. [R36] 5/5 · US Do it: Honestly, at first I thought that this was a bogus thing that has NOTHING to help you fall asleep. But I was wrong. I got the membership and now I sleep every night and if I can’t, it’s a great way to pass time. I definitely recommend a couple sleep stories. I recommend the underwater city series sleep talk after the dance and others. It is worth it try it out! Also Better Sleep, if you are
  20. [R68] 5/5 · US amazing: Everything on the BetterSleep app is amazing. I’ve been getting horrible nights of sleep lately until I downloaded this app. It is so incredible. I fall asleep after the first five minutes of each story and listen to and it is amazing. I feel so much more relaxed, energetic and uplifted thank you BetterSleep.
  21. [R26] 5/5 · US Love this app: I purchased this app years ago, before it was bought out and upgraded by BetterSleep, and I’m SO glad I did! I love being able to layer my own sounds and music to suit my mood. Sometimes I want to have that cavern background. Sometimes I want ocean waves. Sometimes just a crackling fire. Other times I want them all! This does that for me and I love it. The stories just keep getting
  22. [R34] 4/5 · US Review: I’ve been using this app for years, 5 year at least. I use it when I go on vacation so I can sleep better or I just use it in general to sleep better, yes it’s a very good app & has many options of sounds but I don’t like that you have to pay a subscription now for certain sounds you want… it use to be free now it’s all fancy. It’s a very good app, I love it overall just wish a little more
  23. [R96] 5/5 · US Don’t ever want to be without this app: If there is anything that you need to know about this app or the service you’ll receive if ever needed it is that there is no other better. I have been using this app since 2019-2020 and it has so much to offer its users. It’s very user friendly, extremely updated, and has bountiful features and content for all users. Sleep stories is for me, but I have used
  24. [R105] 5/5 · US Excellent app: I found BetterSleep through a discounted offer from one of my counseling online platforms where I work. I will be back, but the current quarterly rate was just not something I could renew with for a while. I highly recommend it and could see myself letting go of several other ones to have this one, lots of variety, personalized mixing of components and will recommend to others, incl
  25. [R17] 5/5 · US Phenomenal customer service!: I had been using the BetterSleep App for my insomnia but due to financial challenges I didn’t expect, I had to cancel my membership. The team in the Customer Service area were so wonderfully helpful that I just wish they could give classes, could mentor other app customer service areas (which are evidently non-existent) for other online companies. They responded to m
  26. [R16] 1/5 · US Broken and not working: I have had this app since it was Relax Melodies now it won’t connect the Internet and it says that I have to pay for it even though I was grandfathered in years ago it’s absolutely useless to me now
  27. [R41] 5/5 · US Mostly great: I use this app every night and it’s so cool that you can track your sleep. It helps me know why I got too little sleep some nights or visa versa. I do love this app and the sleep tracker but you can barely do anything without paying. You only get two stories and one breathing exercise. I do use the sleep tracker every night and I think it’s really helpful and makes. me get more sleep
  28. [R199] 5/5 · US I use it every night: I USE IT EVERY NIGHT i LoVe THIS APP I USE HEADPHONES AND MY MOM SAYS TO NOT USE HEADPHONES SHE SAID THAT NOISE FOR A LONG TIME CAN DAMAGE YOUR EARS BUT HERE THE BEST PART IT AS A FREAKIN TIMER IT CAN ALSO TRACK YOUR SNORE DREAMS AND YOU CAN FILL OUT A OPTIONAL TEST THAT CAN TELL YOU WHAT ANIMAL YOU ARE NO FREAKIN ADS BEST ANIMATION THEY GOT STORYS AND MUSIC ITS FREE NO WIF
  29. [R211] 3/5 · US Pretty good app ☺️: In this app you can listen to calming music, make your own custom sound for you to listen to, and do some calming breathing exercises. The only feedback that I have is that all of the different sounds that you can put in your custom sound is that not all of the sounds are free and I think that is not very convenient, because if there are specific sounds that you would like in
  30. [R1] 3/5 · US Question for developer: Is this app free or do you have to pay to use it at all?
  31. [R13] 1/5 · US Used to be good: Everything is behind a paywall now, even mixes that I created can no longer be played or even opened because one or more of the sounds are now requiring purchase. Not worth the money.
  32. [R4] 3/5 · US I am able to install on AVP but it crashes immediately: I am able to install on AVP but it crashes immediately. Works great on all of my other devices. Would really like to enjoy this on AVP too - pretty please :)
  33. [R47] 1/5 · US Used to be great: This app used to be an amazing app for sleep. But not anymore. I don’t mind so much that there is a subscription - it’s not ideal and feels very money-grabbing, but it’s cheap enough. My biggest issue is that the bugs aren’t getting fixed even though you basically have to pay for a subscription now. I was having issues with the app crashing and the timer function not setting corr
  34. [R52] 4/5 · US App crashes: Suddenly last few weeks the app crashes whenever another app opens simultaneously. Love the app. Please fix :)
  35. [R71] 3/5 · US Glitch: I’m stuck on Home Screen I keep updating it but still doesn’t work it just at the loading screen I’m really confused please help me developers! I’m really sorry to bother y’all y’all work so hard for this app! User since 2025

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store